The expert revealed the main mistake in creating a financial airbag

Having a financial safety cushion does not guarantee complete protection from life shocks. Even impressive savings may not be enough if a person does not take into account additional risks and does not build a comprehensive personal finance management system. Natalia Belova, Deputy General Director of Rosgosstrakh Life, told Izvestia about this on June 8.

According to the expert, the reserve of funds really helps to survive temporary difficulties — job loss, unforeseen expenses or reduced income. However, in practice, crisis situations are rarely limited to one problem. The loss of earnings may coincide with an increase in mandatory payments, the need to pay for medical treatment or support relatives.

"Even significant savings in such conditions can be spent much faster than a person initially expected. A financial cushion gives you time to adapt, but by itself it does not always become a long—term support," Belova explained.

The expert noted that many Russians, when planning their budget, focus mainly on regular expenses such as mortgages, rental housing, utility bills and everyday expenses. At the same time, less predictable but significant items of expenditure are often ignored: medical services, housing repairs, assistance to loved ones, or changes in economic conditions.

According to Belova, it is precisely such unplanned expenses that most often cause the accumulated funds to run out earlier than expected. Additional impacts include inflation, changes in the cost of services, and possible renegotiation of loan obligations.

Cash transfer: 15% of Russians keep all their savings "under the mattress"

Why do people consider cash to be a more reliable way of saving and how do the authorities intend to deal with this?

The specialist emphasized that financial stability is formed not only due to the size of savings, but also due to the diversification of protection tools. In particular, some of the risks may be covered by insurance programs or other financial solutions that reduce the burden on the family budget in difficult circumstances.

"If the entire financial security strategy is built solely around an airbag, any unusual situation can seriously disrupt the financial balance," the expert noted.

Belova recommends regularly reviewing not only the amount of savings, but also the scenarios for their use. According to her, it is important to understand how long savings will actually last, what additional costs may arise and what mechanisms will help maintain financial stability when life circumstances change.

The expert also recalled that the feeling of security can be deceptive. During calm periods, many risks seem unlikely, but it is the crisis that shows how effectively the personal finance management system is built.

Sergey Belyakov, President of the National Association of Non-Governmental Pension Funds, told Izvestia on June 1 that many families want to create a financial cushion for their children, but they don't always know how to start saving properly. For example, one of the tools is the long-term savings program, which allows you to open an account immediately after the birth of a child and regularly save small amounts. It provides for state co-financing in the first 10 years, a tax deduction and investment income from a non-state pension fund. In 2024, the yield was about 20%, in 2025 — 19%.